Ultra-straight Iran and Egypt to play in World Cup Pride Match

All of it very "World-Surf-League-under-Erik-Logan-esque."

This northern hemisphere summer, surf fans will be forced to endure a battle for attention spans. In one live sporting entertainment corner, the World Surf League will be in beautiful Rio de Janeiro for stop nine of its Championship Tour. John John Florence, Gabriel Medina and possibly Kelly Slater (as wildcard), battling through the back end of the calendar, collecting precious points. North, and in the other live sporting entertainment corner, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association will be holding its once-every-four-years soccer bacchanal, the World Cup, in Mexico, the United States and Canada.

The World Cup, which pits nation against nation, is one of those events which draws in those who otherwise avoid such things. Very difficult not to get caught up in passive jingoism etc. and, this summer, sixteen cities in North America will be hosting matches. One, Seattle, decided to celebrate the coinciding Pride Weekend, late in June, with its June 26th game.

As you may, or may not, know, the qualifying countries are tossed into a spinner and randomly put into groups.

As luck, or fate, would have it, the Pride Match on June 26th will pit Iran against Egypt.

Now, for the culturally illiterate, Iran and Egypt would both be considered, at least on paper, as “ultra-straight.” Homosexuality is, in fact, illegal in Iran and can be punishable by death. While not specifically banned, in Egypt, it is often persecuted under “debauchery laws.”

Neither country particularly pleased with the game’s rainbow gilding.

The head of Iran’s Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, called the business an “irrational move that supports a certain group.” Egypt, according to reports, is equally unhappy.

Both countries have signaled they will appeal though it is not exactly clear what.

All of it very “World-Surf-League-under-Erik-Logan-esque.”

Seattle World Cup organizers attempted to tamp down the furor declaring there will be no official Pride stuff inside the stadium and that “any symbolic activities related to the initiative” would be conducted elsewhere.

I studied in Cairo for a semester, once, and fell in love with Egypt and Egyptians. One thing that startled me greatly, initially, was that many of the men held hands whilst walking down the street, sitting in cafes or otherwise hanging out. And not like the way a parent holds a child’s hand but the way lovers hold hands. Interlocking fingers. My naive and Puritanical mind had difficulty processing this and I initially felt weird when the Egyptian male friends that I made would clasp my hand then lace their fingers though mine on outings to the bazaar etc. In honesty, the hand holding never became completely comfortable but I blame myself for that.

Juvenile hang-ups etc.

Maybe Seattle organizers can have a parade of men holding hands, bridge the cultural divide and usher in an era of world peace.

What would Erik Logan do?